Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Description

Founded in 1942, the ARI - Israel's Religious Association of Progressive Judaism's in Rio de Janeiro, is affiliated to the World Union for Progressive Judaism - WUPJ

In 1936 a small group of young people decided to hold a ceremony on their own, the first service of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. They didnt had Sefer Torah, only sidurim and machzorim. From that group the idea of a charitable organization religious purposes emerge - the Union Benevolent Association - in order to meet the German Jewish immigrants arriving in increasing numbers week after week.

In 1937, there were many Jews and they had to rent a hall for the High Holiday services in the then headquarters of Botafogo.

In 1941 arrived in Brazil Rabbi Dr. Heinrich Lemle and his family, president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism in London who rescued him from the Buchenwald concentration camp. Rabbi Lemle was sent to Rio de Janeiro with the mission of founding a liberal congregation.
On January 13, 1942 was founded the first board in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in the then headquarters of the Union in the street Alice Laranjeiras.

The first building of ARI was an old room in the back of the street Barata Ribeiro 363, in Copacabana. They stood next to a chicken coop and often during the service, chickens roamed the room.
In December 1943 the facilities were transferred to Barata Ribeiro 373; however, there was born the idea of its own office and a campaign was launched for this purpose.

Finally, on November 12, 1944 opened the first headquarters of ARI, at Ferreira Martins 52 street, in Botafogo.
The ARI grew, and Ferreira Martins headquarters could no longer receive so many people and activities, so a new campaign was launched to build a new synagogue.

On Rosh Hashanah in 1961, an emotional moment took place - the first Kabbalat Shabbat prayer service in the Aula Magna of the new synagogue, still in the works.
Finally, the September 28, 1962, the mezuzah was placed in the Main Hall and the bimah, lit the Ner Tamid - Eternal Light.

From that date, all held religious services in the new synagogue at General Severiano 170 street.

Two months later, on December 22, 1962, on the small synagogue, a reconstruction of the synagogue "Martins Ferreira" was inaugurated.

During the 90s, the Jewish Religious Association of Rio de Janeiro raised the "Rabbi Henry Lemle" Community Center which opened in 1997, with classrooms, library, auditorium, reception, administrative offices, and the synagogue "Henrique Peres" with up to 150 people, and the Center for Reference and Research on the Holocaust Zinner Family.